Clinton touts $6,000 federal tax credit for family caregivers

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton says it’s time to pay more attention to the “caring economy.”

She is proposing a new federal tax credit that would offset some of what people spend to care for an elderly or disabled relative.

“The bottom line for me is caregiving takes a lot of love,” Clinton says, “and a lot of challenging experiences that often test one’s emotional and physical well-being.”

Clinton also is proposing a recalculation of Social Security benefits for caregivers.

“All the time that people take out of paid work to care for a family member can end up putting a big dent in their retirement benefits,” Clinton says.

Clinton says it is predominantly women who leave the workforce to care for a spouse or a parent.

“I want to expand Social Security by taking into account the often overlooked and undervalued work of family caregivers,” Clinton says.

Clinton made her comments during a town hall meeting in Clinton, Iowa, today. About 400 people attended and Clinton told them her husband is a “fanatic” football fan who’s been following the Iowa Hawkeye’s winning season.

“Three weeks ago he goes: ‘You know, I think Iowa is really for real.’ And I said: ‘Yeah, it looks like it.’…And he goes: I’m wondering whether I can get there before the season’s over,'” Clinton said, laughing along with the crowd “And I said: ‘Well, let’s try to figure that out.'”

Iowa played its final home game this past Saturday. The undefeated Hawkeyes play their final regular season game at Nebraska on Friday.